You can count on Republicans to steadfastly ignore the monumental levels of corruption in this administration. Trump used to say during the campaign that the rest of the world is laughing at us, but he was ahead of his times when he said that. People in third world countries who used to think the US system is less corrupt than their own countries now laugh at the US.

SHORTLY AFTER PRESIDENT Donald Trump was inaugurated last year, top Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy offered Russian gas giant Novatek a $26 million lobbying plan aimed at removing the company from a U.S. sanctions list, according to documents obtained by The Intercept.

As the discussions continued, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and others began pushing legislation that would take the decision on whether to lift sanctions out of Trump’s hands and put Congress in control, a development that Novatek apparently recognized as a threat given that Broidy’s power to affect policy lay in his presumed influence with Trump.

In January 2017, Baev wrote to Broidy asking whether McCain’s bill would put their efforts at risk. “The client is asking how our road map would be affected by a new bill sponsored by Senator McCain to codify the existing sanctions and to impose new ones as a matter of federal law which the Administration will not be in a position to lift without consent of the US Congress. What are your thoughts on this?”

Broidy responded: “We need to convince McCain to abandon or water down the bill while we push the admin and other members of Senate to water down and vote no. Not a game changer.

This is the second installment of the series on what corruption looks like in all its ugliness. This time, we have Mick Mulvaney, doer of two big jobs for the predisent. He is trying to outdo Scott Pruitt and the boss himself in "pay to play" corruption.

Idéfix wrote:This is the second installment of the series on what corruption looks like in all its ugliness. This time, we have Mick Mulvaney, doer of two big jobs for the predisent. He is trying to outdo Scott Pruitt and the boss himself in "pay to play" corruption.

Idéfix wrote:This is the second installment of the series on what corruption looks like in all its ugliness. This time, we have Mick Mulvaney, doer of two big jobs for the predisent. He is trying to outdo Scott Pruitt and the boss himself in "pay to play" corruption.

Next up in the series, Novartis says it paid Trump's "funneling" operation run by Cohen $1.2 million. They say it was for advice on certain healthcare policy matters. What was Cohen's expertise in healthcare policy to justify advice worth $100,000 a month? None. They say they realized after the first meeting with Cohen that he couldn't provide any useful advice, but still continued making payments anyway for one year!

How does a sophisticated company sign a contract worth $1.2 million with a guy who cannot deliver the services they want? How does said company then continue payments instead of terminating the contract for cause?

This is corruption plain and simple. But it is Republican corruption, so Fox News and resident trumptards will steadfastly ignore this.

Another example of Obummer's corruption for smugtards to ignore. FBI Informant Stefan Halper Paid Over $1 Million By Obama Admin; Spied On Trump Aide After Election https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-05-21/fbi-informant-stefan-halper-paid-over-1-million-obama-admin-spied-trump-aide-after#section-comments

Halper later worked for Sen. William Roth (R-Del.) before joining the George H.W. Bush campaign in 1980 as national policy development director and then working for the Reagan-Bush campaign as national director of policy coordination. In the Reagan administration, he served as deputy assistant secretary of state for politico-military affairs, according to his biography.

After the 1980 race, Halper was caught up in a scandal concerning alleged political spying. Aides to Reagan, including Halper, were accused of having spied on Carter’s campaign and obtaining private documents that Carter was using to prepare for a debate. Some Reagan White House officials later alleged that Halper had used former CIA agents to run an operation against Carter. Halper called the reports at the time “absolutely false” and has long denied the accusations.

Between 2000 and 2001, Halper contributed more than $85,000 to George W. Bush’s first presidential bid and the Republican National Committee, according to campaign finance records. Most friends describe him as a moderate Republican who is hawkish on China and deeply committed to U.S. institutions, having worked for years inside and around the federal governmen

Finally the last straw fell for the most corrupt cabinet member other than Trump himself. It is hard to tell exactly what it is that did Pruitt in, thanks to his amazing, tremendous series of swampy actions.

Idéfix wrote:Finally the last straw fell for the most corrupt cabinet member other than Trump himself. It is hard to tell exactly what it is that did Pruitt in, thanks to his amazing, tremendous series of swampy actions.